AbstractTyrosine kinase receptor A (TrkA), the high-affinity receptor of nerve growth factor (NGF), is known to play key roles in ovarian follicular development, such as assembly of early follicles and follicular ovulation. However, little is known about the roles of TrkA in cumulus oocyte complex (COC)expansion. In this study, we found that TrkA was abundant in large antral follicles and knockdown of TrkA in COCs attenuated epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced COC expansion and further decreased the ovulation rate. The effect of TrkA on COC expansion was not mediated through downstream EGF effectors, phosphorylation of extracellular regulated protein kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) or drosophila mothers against decapentaplegic protein (SMAD), or through up-regulation of COC expansion-related transcripts such as prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (Ptgs2), hyaluronan synthase 2 (Has2), TNF-induced protein 6 (Tnfaip6) or pentraxin 3 (Ptx3). However, pharmacological blockade of TrkA transducing activity (K252£) in COCsdecreased the mRNA expression and protein secretion of interleukin-6 (IL-6), identified from mRNA microarray of K252£-treated COCs. Meanwhile,knockdown of IL-6 attenuated EGF-induced COC expansion. In addition, IL-6 rescued the inhibitory effect of K252£ on EGF-induced cumulusexpansion. Therefore, IL-6 may act as a new potential cumulus expansion-related transcript, which may be involved in the integration of TrkA and EGF signaling in affecting COC expansion. Here, we provide mechanistic insights into the roles of TrkA in EGF-induced cumulus expansion. Understanding potential cross-points between TrkA and EGF affecting cumulus expansion will help in the discovery of new therapeutic targets in ovulation-related diseases.

AbstractBACKGROUND/AIMS: Adenomyosis is a disease in which ectopic endometrial glands and stromal cells appear in the uterine myometrium. Despite its prevalence, the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of adenomyosis are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of miR-10b and its target genes ZEB1 and PIK3CA in adenomyosis.
METHODS: 1387 miRNAs in human normal endometrium and ectopic endometrial lesions of adenomyosis using a microarray screen assay. The significant differential expression of 10 miRNAs was confirmed by qRT-PCR. The expression of miR-10b in endometrial epithelial cells isolated from normal endometrium and paired eutopic and ectopic endometrium of adenomyosis was measured by qRT-PCR. Subsequently, the targets of miR-10b were predicted by bioinformatics and confirmed using a luciferase assay, and the mRNA and protein expression of ZEB1 and PIK3CA were assessed in the endometrium or endometrial epithelial cells by qRT-PCR and western blotting or immunohistochemical analysis. Cell migration and cell invasion of endometrial epithelial cells with different treatments by Transwell assays. The expression of p-AKT, Akt and E-cadherin proteins was determined by Western blot analysis.
RESULTS: MiR-10b expression was significantly downregulated in both adenomyotic lesions and adenomyotic epithelial cells. MiR-10b overexpression in adenomyotic epithelial cells inhibited cell migration and invasion. We then demonstrated that miR-10b directly targets the 3'-UTRs of ZEB1 and PIK3CA, and downregulates ZEB1 and PIK3CA in adenomyotic epithelial cells, leading to increased E-cadherin expression and decreased Akt phosphorylation.

AbstractOBJECTIVE: To evaluate cumulus cell (CC) expression profile modulation after different stimulation protocols. DESIGN: CCs transcriptome variations were evaluated by microarray in patients undergoing different treatments for ovarian stimulation, namely, r-hLH + r-hFSH and hp-hMG, compared with a control group treated with r-hFSH. SETTING: Healthy patients undergoing assisted reproduction protocols. PATIENT(S): Sixteen healthy women with regular cycles and tubal disease or unexplained infertility. INTERVENTION(S): Four patients received hp-hMG, four received r-hFSH + r-hLH, and eight received r-hFSH daily. Aspiration of the oocytes was performed 36 hours after hCG administration. Only samples derived from cumulus-oocyte complexes containing mature oocytes showing polar body were processed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Comparison of genes differentially expressed in both treatment groups with the use of a hierarchic clustering analysis. RESULT(S): Data clustering analysis allowed detection of four clusters containing genes differentially expressed in both treatment groups compared with control. Functional analysis of the affected transcripts revealed genes involved in oocyte development and maturation. CONCLUSION(S): r-hLH and hCG, though acting on the same receptor, produce a differential activation of intracellular pathways. It can be hypothesized that this effect depends on their different structures and specific binding affinity for the receptor.

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International Journal Of Molecular Sciences. doi:10.3390/ijms17010098.

AbstractThe d-galactose (d-gal)-injected animal model, which is typically established by administering consecutive subcutaneous d-gal injections to animals for approximately six or eight weeks, has been frequently used for aging research. In addition, this animal model has been demonstrated to accelerate aging in the brain, kidneys, liver and blood cells. However, studies on aging in male reproductive organs that have used this animal model remain few. Therefore, the current study aimed to optimize a model of male reproductive aging by administering d-gal injections to male mice and to determine the possible mechanism expediting senescence processes during spermatogenesis. In this study, C57Bl/6 mice were randomized into five groups (each containing 8–10 mice according to the daily intraperitoneal injection of vehicle control or 100 or 200 mg/kg dosages of d-gal for a period of six or eight weeks). First, mice subjected to d-gal injections for six or eight weeks demonstrated considerably decreased superoxide dismutase activity in the serum and testis lysates compared to those in the control group. The lipid peroxidation in testis also increased in the d-gal-injected groups. Furthermore, the d-gal-injected groups exhibited a decreased ratio of testis weight/body weight and sperm count compared to the control group. The percentages of both immotile sperm and abnormal sperm increased considerably in the d-gal-injected groups compared to those of the control group. To determine the genes influenced by the d-gal injection during murine spermatogenesis, a c-DNA microarray was conducted to compare testicular RNA samples between the treated groups and the control group. The d-gal-injected groups exhibited RNA transcripts of nine spermatogenesis-related genes (Cycl2, Hk1, Pltp, Utp3, Cabyr, Zpbp2, Speer2, Csnka2ip and Katnb1) that were up- or down-regulated by at least two-fold compared to the control group. Several of these genes are critical for forming sperm-head morphologies or maintaining nuclear integration (e.g., cylicin, basic protein of sperm head cytoskeleton 2 (Cylc2), casein kinase 2, alpha prime interacting protein (Csnka2ip) and katanin p80 (WD40-containing) subunit B1 (Katnb1)). These results indicate that d-gal-injected mice are suitable for investigating male reproductive aging.

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Histochemistry And Cell Biology. doi: 10.1007/s00418-015-1348-9..

Impact of diethylhexyl phthalate on gene expression and development of mammary glands of pregnant mouse.

AbstractThe widely used diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) is a known endocrine disruptor that causes persistent alterations in the structure and function of female reproductive system, including ovaries, uterus and oviducts. To explore the molecular mechanism of the effect of DEHP on the development of mammary glands, we investigated the cell cycle, growth, proliferation and gene expression of mammary gland cells of pregnant mice exposed to DEHP. It was demonstrated, for the first time, that the mammary gland cells of pregnant mice treated with DEHP for 0.5–3.5 days post-coitum had increased proliferation, growth rate and number of cells in the G2/S phase. The expression of cell proliferation-related genes was significantly altered after short time and low-dose DEHP treatment of mammary gland cells in vivo and in vitro. These findings showed adverse effects of DEHP on mammary gland cells in pregnant mice.